Samantha Harris Has Breast Cancer, Plans Double Mastectomy (VIDEO)

Samantha, 40, told People she discovered a lump in her right breast last fall. She had gotten a clean mammogram, but she wasn’t convinced all was well, so she went to a breast cancer specialist. After a needle biopsy and lumpectomy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She weighed her treatment options from several specialists and ultimately chose to have a double mastectomy. She'll undergo surgery later this month.

One she made the decision, Samantha told People, "I felt so much calmer." It’s out of her hands at this point. You can read more details on her diagnosis and plans in the new issue of People.

Samantha and her husband Michael Hess have two daughters, Josselyn, born in 2007, and Hillary, born in 2011. Samantha was DWTS's second co-host, after Lisa Canning, and stayed with the show from Seasons 2-9. She was followed by Brooke Burke-Charvet, who opened up on her own battle with thyroid cancer in 2012. Brooke co-hosted from Seasons 10-17, replaced in Season 18 by Erin Andrews.

Samantha will always be part of the DWTS family and we wish her strength on the road ahead. Only she and her doctors know what’s best for her, and we hope this leads to a swift and complete recovery. Good luck, Samantha!